We Can Rule The World
by WinSomeOrLearnSome
Summary: AkuRoku and Soriku, mainly. AU, some lovely awkward situations.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Tell me if there are any errors! And if you liked it!**

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**Roxas POV**

Two young boys ran across the beach, hand in hand. The sun was shining, the golden haired boy was smiling and his brother was laughing happily. Their mother sat apart from them, reminiscing of the old days. How the years had flown by...the twins would be starting their first day of school only tomorrow...

Beep Beep- Beep Beep-

Ugh. Once again interrupted by that stupid Mickey Mouse alarm clock. Sora got it for me as a joke, and I haven't got round to replacing. Groggily I got out of bed and started to get dressed.

What a weird dream...fitting I suppose – tomorrow was the first day of school. Not first ever, of course, but it was the start of the new school year. Which meant today-

"ROXAS!"

"YES, SORA?"

"ARE YOU AWAKE?"

I snorted. No, I'm obviously still sleeping, Sora. He's not exactly the brightest crayon in the box.  
"Yes," I answered, jogging downstairs, "I am awake Sora."

"Oh. Oh! Do you know what day it is today?"

"Mmm......Sunday?"

"No, stupid! Today's SHOPPING daaaaay!"

To tell you the truth I hadn't forgotten about that, I just don't see the excitement in shopping for school supplies. Ballpoint pens....joy. I poured out some cereal and was going to respond but the doorbell got there first.

"That'll be Riku!"

Even better, Riku was joining us. It's not that I dislike Riku, we're friends I suppose, but when I'm there I'm like the third wheel of emo. I sometimes feel they'd have a lot more fun without me, I'm just there...because there's no-one else, I guess. They can tell when I'm having depressing thoughts like this and try to stop me. Like now.

"Roxas, come back to us!" Sora moaned, clunking me on the head with a cereal box.

"You're thinking too much!"

"Yeah, Sora, you should try it some time..." Riku joked.

I laughed and watched Sora protest. That never gets old.

"Anyway, finish your food and then we're going to the...station...paper.."

"Stationers." Riku helped.

"Yeah. Mom left you a list on the counter. Riku's already got his stuff."

Bet he has. Smartass.

"Then why is he here?" I asked through a mouthful of cereal.

"To make sure Sora's head stays screwed on, I think."  
Sora laughed loudly while shooting me a look that said 'Don't start that again.'

**Sora POV**

"Come on, lets get going!"

"Come on, Roxaaas!"

Why is my stupid brother so slow! Some people call me ADHD, but I say everyone else is just severely UN-hyper. I started to bounce up and down irritatedly, willing him to hurry up in case I burst. I say I started to bounce up and down, because there was this sudden weight on the top of head preventing me from moving.

"Riku!"

He laughed, while I pushed against his hand (with my forehead). It was no use, but seeing him laugh made me want to laugh too, which didn't help my escaping his clutches (Roxas says I talk weirdly sometimes...).

"Sora, I think you dropped something." He said, smirking.

"What? I don't..."

"Your dignity."

It took me a minute to get this, which only made him laugh harder.

"God, you are so-"

"I am NOT dense!" I shouted.

"Hey, I didn't say anything-"

He tried to hug me, but I did my famous pout and crossed my arms. I wasn't really mad, I was just desperately trying not to laugh. Riku was much better at hiding it, but I could see his shoulders shaking and eventually we were both laughing like maniacs.

Our laughter transcended into us giggling like schoolgirls. What were we even laughing at? Me, I think. Pssshfh.

Still in some kind of high, I stumbled over the barstool, intending to climb on to it but instead both me and the stool tumbled over. And Riku.

When I opened my eyes again after the noise, I noticed I was incredibly close to something. Riku's face, to be precise. I appeared to have fallen on him, my knees dangerously close to somewhere they shouldn't be. We stayed silent for a few minutes, allowing my face to grow red and Riku to blush faintly. Shit. Shit. What have you done now, Sora!

Hastily I pushed myself off him, turning away to let him get up and to hide my red face. I hate blushing, but it runs in my family. Always at the worst time, I can feel my face burning and everyone starts looking at me. Riku teases me about it, cause people say it makes me look cute. Ugh.

"Guys, I hope you didn't break anything again, cause Mom'll be so pissed if you-"

"Roxas!" I said a bit too loudly, "Finally, lets go!"

"What was that bang?"

"What? Nothing! Have you got the list?" I said, practically shoving him out the door.

**Roxas POV (again)**

"Okay, I'll take pages one and two, and you and Riku can take the third page."

"Hey!" Sora said, "We're two people, shouldn't we get more?"

"It's not that I don't trust you Sora, but..." There wasn't really a proper way to finish that sentence.

"Where is Riku, anyway?" There. Distract him. It's easy.

"Oh, he.. I think he founds some friends from school. He's back there."

"Yeah, speaking of friends, who's that over there?"

"What?" he turned round. "Who?"

Kairi was over at the café with some friends, wearing the shortest skirt I have ever seen. I mean, is it legal to sell clothes like that? I don't know where they cross the line between 'short skirt' and 'belt'.

"There's Kairi, Sora. Maybe you should go talk to her." I added in a wink just to embarrass him.  
"Rox-aaas! I don't fancy her!"

"Hm?" I said innocently, "I never said anything about you-"

"I don't, I swear!"

"Hey, I'm back. What're you talking about?" Riku materialized beside us.

Then I swear Sora turned even redder and wouldn't look either of us in the eyes.

"Nothing!" he said, incredibly unconvincingly, then took the list and stormed off.

I noticed Riku wasn't looking at me either.

"Right, protractors..." I said to myself, reading the list aloud. " Get 4, Roxas, I know you will break them." Thanks Mom. That was just one time! I don't snap maths implements as a hobby (...anymore.).

"So..." Man, I hated this shop. It's huge! They sell stationary, clothes, and some garden furniture but that's it. I bet they switch the stalls around every day so you HAVE to get lost. You can't find anything in here.

I didn't really get around to looking for protractors because I bumped into something rather tall, and solid.

"Um, ow." I said from the ground, hoping for a 'sorry'. That wasn't what I got.

"HEEEEEY!"

Um, ow. My eardrums.

"You're Sora's friend, aren't you! Nice to meet you, dude."

Dude!? Where was this guy from?

"Uh, yeah. His twin, actually. Little help?"

"No shit!" he said, and pulled me up. He was about as ADHD as Sora. "You two look exactly alike."

"A-and you are?" This guy was beginning to annoy the hell out of me. Wow, twins looking exactly alike, hadn't heard that one before. Even though we're not identical, just our hair is different. And our personality, of course.

"Me?" (Yes, you!) "I'm Axel, got it memorized?"

That was when I got a proper look at his face. No, no, his face was fine. But his HAIR? Okay, it was a nice shade of red. But if that was his natural hair colour I'll eat my boxers. And it was waaay spiky. I mean, my hair is spiky, but compared to his it was like...salad dressing.

I'm obviously not making sense. Let's carry on.

"So whatcha doing here?" 'Axel' asked me.

"Uh, shopping?"

"Cool."

This was becoming the stupidest conversation I'd ever had.

"Well, I gotta go, see you at school! You are going to Destiny High, right?"

"Yeah, I-"

"But you and Sora are in the year below, right, so we'll only have a few classes together...."

"Hey! What makes you think I'm in the year below!?"

"Well, excuse me princess, but your HEIGHT may have something to do with it..."

Heck this guy was getting on my nerves. I'll try the Sora Technique, distraction.

"What are those on your face?"

"What?" he said, lifting his hands to his cheeks, "These?"

He laughed.

"Tattoos, kid."

"Really?" I gaped.

"Haha, nah. Biro. But I'll get tattoos someday."

"Don't call me kid."

"Ha, whatever! See ya, shorty!"

And off he went. Maybe I'll see him around. And if he does, I don't think I'll be able to stop myself from punching him. Repeatedly.

"Hey, Roxas, you done?"

**Riku POV**

I don't have any brothers or sisters.

Yeah, it suddenly hit me, right in the middle of the store. Sora wasn't talking to me, but that was partly because it took so much of concentration to read AND find things AND put them in a basket. Heehee. And partly cause of something awkward.

But from what Sora tells me, it's not always great having a brother. But you're never lonely, I said. He just laughed and said that's not always a bad thing.

It is to me, I hate being lonely. Which is weird because people tell me I'm quiet. If you asked Roxas he would say yes, because Riku is a robot. I'm not quiet around Sora though. He's practically like a brother.

Which is way wrong. He's nothing like a brother, he's like a friend. But much more than a friend. Woah, that's not what I-

"Riku, come on."

Eep. Hurrying (ever so gracefully) to catch up with Sora, who's basket was nearly full, I saw Axel at the other side of the store. He seemed to be talking to the floor. Oh well. He's like that.

"Kay, we're done!"

"Got everything?"

"Yup! Riku, that's what I meant when I said 'done'.

"Got a ring binder?"

"....."

Five minutes later, we were done. And heading back to Sora's house. Roxas had gone shopping in something he called 'Topshop' while making us carry all the school stuff home. Sora bounded upstairs, so I guessed we were going to play videogames or something. What I didn't expect was to see him crying his eyes out.

"What if the teachers hate me? Or if everybody else hates me? What if I just fail at everything!?"

Whoa. What do you do when someone's upset like that? I just stood still, running through my head what not to say. Don't say it'll all be fine....don't tell him to calm down, don't try to hug him. Wait, do try to hug him! No, if I do he'll think I'm treating him like a girl!

"What should I doooo?"

Stay calm Riku. Maybe he's not talking to you. Maybe he's just talking to himself, everything's rhetorical.

"Riku, answer me!"

Crap.

"Uh, look, it'll all be fine..."

"NO IT WON'T!"

See?! What did I tell you Riku.

"Mmmrhmm." He mumbled.

I just sat down on the bed behind him, and snaked my arms round his waist. He seemed to calm down.

"Riku..." he said.

"Shh."

"Hm."

It all felt perfectly natural.

Until Roxas walked in.

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	2. Chapter 2

**AN: This ones a bit shorter, but the next chapters school so I wanted to separate them. Hope you enjoy.**

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Axel POV**

Hey, you know what I did yesterday?

I met the most beautiful boy that ever lived. And I think I sort of annoyed it.

First, let me tell you. He had blonde – no, GOLDEN hair, and the most startling blue eyes I have ever seen. Like piercing blue, just...whoa. I swear when I went nearer a halo formed around his head, his perfectly formed (and perfectly dressed) body just GLOWED. Or I'm exaggerating. But wow, that was one beautiful guy. Hey, I know that sounds weird and I guess I shouldn't talk about guys that way. But this kid was special.

So, I thought I should go talk to him. I mean you should take every opportunity you get. Seize the day and that. But, heh, I think I over did it. My plan was, go bump into Riku's friend (knows him through some younger kid he always hangs around with) and start chatting. You know, how's the weather. How are you. What shampoo do you use because it smells fricken _awesome. _(Or just keep it simple).

But what I ended up doing was KNOCKING THE KID OVER, and instead of saying sorry and whatever I just got total word vomit. Started spewing random questions way, way loudly. When there's an awkward silence, there's this voice in my head going 'No! No, Axel! Don't speak! You'll just make a fool of yourseeeeelf!'. But I guess I'm a lost cause. Hahah. Ha. Ohh...

Anyway, I had to, uh, 'scoot' if that's the correct term. I doubt it is. That's why I started hanging out with Riku – he's such a teachers pet. It's not that I don't like him...he's just a bit...cold. At first. He's really funny though, but he likes hanging around with that Sora kid. Oh, but I'm not here to talk about Riku. Actually, I'm not here. The second I got away from....oh.

Oh God.

Oh, My-

I didn't catch his name. The angels name.

Oh well, guess I have to speak to him tomorrow! Win win scenario, I believe (for me at least.)

Sorry, the second I got away from Mr. Mystery, I discovered a mountain of homework. A mountain, meaning my mom had actually piled all my books into one huge pile on my bed. Here's a tip – don't leave all your summer homework until the last day. Just don't. Not if you want to sleep the night before school. So, catch ya later, got it memorized?

**Roxas POV**

I just came up to tell them Mom had phoned and was going to be back late.

I did not expect-

No, I mean-

Ok, WHAT WERE THEY DOING UP THERE?

I considered backing out of the room. I considered just walking away. I considered yelling. Yeah. I chose yelling.

**Sora POV**

I feel like I have a story to tell. Oh, sorry, voice in my head here! I've just stopped time for a second to kind of, explain how things are.

When I was younger, like, a few years ago, I might've had the minutest crush on Kairi. You can't blame me! She was the only real girl on the island. I don't mean there were fake ones, I mean she hung around with us. Us, us being Riku and...it hurts to say it, but he might have ALSO had the tiniest crush. It was always like a competition between us. And you know what? Riku would ALWAYS win. He had brains, he had brawn, and heck, he had LOOKS. Roxas would always say no, Riku didn't like Kairi, he just didn't want me running off some girl. She's not some girl. She's the prettiest girl, and she was always really nice to me. I want people to like me.

But still, Riku is...the main person I hang out with now. It's a small island, but he knows all the other guys since he goes to the bigger school. Riku...he's like...he's like everyone I know.

Maybe I'm changing. One week he was some tough guy, and I felt really jealous of him. Cause I'm so small in comparison. And he's not mean about it, or anything.

Next week I was really sad and he was there for me. I was glad to have him there as a friend.

And then, he was like a whole different person. He was tall, with long, shining silver hair that kept falling in his eyes no matter how many times he brushed it out of the way. Mesmerizing aqua eyes and a beautiful laugh that just meant you had to join in. He was also...well, he worked out.

I was going to tell Roxas about this, but I decided not to. I mean, thoughts like this are weird. I don't want it to go even stranger – he's not a girl. But, how much do I like Riku? Am I..? I don't want to say it. I'm just going to squash these thoughts out of my head.

On with the story. Back to what actually happened. I might skip a few bits to save me the humiliation. I had all these pent up emotions and they all came out at once. Like, sort of tears, but I wasn't actually sobbing. Just kind of sniffling a bit. I mean, I shouldn't cry in front of Riku. It's not that I don't want him to see my cry but it's kinda mean to just spring that on someone. What are they meant to do? I kept sat down, debating whether to pull myself together, or escape the situation. But I felt the mattress move as he sat down on the bed behind me. That was better. Do you know the feeling when it's just right to be with someone? It's a good feeling, especially when you know they feel the same thing. I just went with the flow, stopped thinking. Not that my brain ever functions, Roxas would say. Haha. (No.)

I leant back into him, and he nudged his chin into my spiky hair. I closed me eyes, smiling....he felt so _warm_... Before I knew it his hands were around my waist, awakening a herd of butterflies in my stomach.

"Riku..." I moaned. Okay, I was officially melted. I let my feet dangle off the edge of my bed, and my face was moving closer and closer to his...

I've never felt like this before, I was about to say.  
"Shh."

And then Roxas came in.

"Sora. Get out. Now."

It's not good when Roxas gets like this. All brotherly. What did I even do? Okay...it must have looked-

"....SOR-"

"Okay!"

His face was growing red like some kind of bullfighter so I leapt off the bed and hurried out the door. Riku was left on the bed with an odd blush and startled look on his face. Had he...felt something there?

"I hope I wasn't_ interrupting _anything there."

"I...no."

"What were you even doing in there?"

"Why do YOU care? I wasn't doing anything" Roxas! I'm not-"

He wasn't convinced. But I was not having this conversation right now. Or ever. Was it his business? Would he...mind? If I was...

Okay, would Roxas mind if I was gay? That's a really scary question right now. Maybe it's all stress. School tomorrow. Agh. I threw a pillow over my head and drifted off to an uncomfortable sleep.

**Riku POV**

"Hey."

"Axel speaking. Who may I say is call-"

"Dumbass, you know it's me. And guess what."

"Eeeey, it's Riku! And what, what? Because, you do know it's nearly eleven and I might just stab you in the-"

"I got kicked out of Sora's house. By his brother."

"Oh my god! Did you try something!?"

"Shut-shut up. We're just friends. To him, anyway."

"You sure? Everyone knows you like him, Riku."

"What do you mean? Of course I like him! He's my best friend..."

"Y-eeah. Anyway..."

"...hmm."

"His brother you say? He who kicked you out?"

"Mmm. Twin actually."

"Oh. Ohh...OH! OH!"

"Uh, sorry to interrupt your epiphany?"

"RIKU! WHAT'S HIS NAME?!"

"Roxas. God, I don't know what's shoved up his-"

"ROXAS! THANK YOU! OH THANK YOU!"

"...uh....ok?"

"-Click."

That's Axel for you. Freak. Nah, I like him really. I guess.

School tomorrow. Huh. I guess I'll find out what Axel was on about. And get to see Sora again. That kinda lifted my heart a little. Roxas had just freaked. He's small, but he was practically shoving me out the door. Was he jealous or something? Is he against me? I've hung around Roxas a lot, but he's nothing to do with me. He was just with Sora. It was always him and Sora, and then me tagging along. Brothers, they'd ask. Twins? Wow! Goodness. That'd be Riku out of the picture.

You know, that made me angry sometimes. Maybe I'm selfish.

Maybe I just want Sora all to myself-

Gaah! God I should stop talking to myself like that, narrowly avoided crashing into a lamppost. Thank god its dark outside. Actually, it's pretty late.

Anyway, nothing I can do now. Tomorrow. Tomorrow, I thought as I trudged across the beach towards home.


	3. Chapter 3

**It's terribly short, but if I didn't write something it would never be continued! Tell me if you like it!**

And here's a cookie for my awesome reviewers: SarahXxUnlovedxX and ilovewriting23! Merry Christmas!

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"Riku, get up."

Darkness, save for a sliver of light through the chequered curtains.

"RIKU!"

At least he had his duvet. Snuggly and warm, cosy, that was until someone pulled it off of him.

"Yuffie, it's freezing in here! Give that back!" he pleaded, curled up on his mattress.

"No. Not until you get up. Orrrrr...."

"Or what?"

"Or I could pour a bucket of ice cold water on your HEAD?"

"....I'll get up."

Riku hated rushing. Every day was rushing, and on the first day of school, rushing was an understatement. Breakfast, teeth, school tie, comb his hair, straighteners, books, lunch money, bus money. Check, check, check, chequers.

"IF YOU DO NOT LEAVE THIS HOUSE IN UNDER FIVE SECONDS, YOU WILL BE LA-ATE,"

Wonderful, thought Riku. Lovely. No Good Luck, no Have A Nice Day, just a Get The Hell Out Of Here.

"I'm going, I'm going..." he slammed the door behind him.

Halfway down the road, he heard a red convertible slide up behind him until they were going the same speed.

"Oh, hey Axel."

"Rikuu! See my new car? Isn't she beeeauutiful?"

"She? Who's this then?"

"THIS," he said with great importance, "is Sasha. Say hello, Sasha." Axel revved the engine as if making the car speak, to which Riku rolled his eyes.

"And why are you here? Following me, might I add?"

"Duh, idiot. I'm here to pick you up."

"Oh, uh, thanks I guess. But...I was gonna meet Sora on the bus, so.."

"He can come too. Get in the back."

"Uh, why?"

"No reason," Axel said with a smirk. Riku sensed that he was planning something...

Roxas POV

Everything is packed, everyone is ready, and we have approximately...minus ten minutes to get the door. Crap.  
I stood on the doorstep, calling Sora down. I really don't want to be late for the first DAY. What I need is a miracle...

"Why hello there, ROXAS." I flinched (i.e. jumped about a mile in the air) at hearing my name called. Or more, _purred_.

"Who the...oh, it's YOU."

Axel. Axel Axel Axel. Some freak I bumped into yesterday. He still had those fake tattoos, long black triangles on either cheek, drawn with biro. I don't like to admit it, but it looks pretty cool. On him. Not many people would be brave- or stupid- enough to do something like that.

"Oh, you remembered my naaame!" he practically squealed. "See, Riku?"

Riku wasn't looking at me, of course. Good. Because if he tries one thing...

"Come on, Roxy, we're taking you to school!"

Oh. OH GOD. Where should I sit? Next to a red-heaired freak who just called me ROXY, or to Riku, who...ugh. He can just keep his hands off my brother. I was weighing it up in my head, but Sora 'solved' my problem by running straight down the stairs, through the hallway, down the path, and doing a cannonball into the car, next to Riku.

"RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII," he slammed the door, "ku."

Now I had no choice, I'd be sitting next to Axel, who looked like he wa ready to pester me the whole journey. Greeeaaat.

Riku POV

Guess where I am? I'm in Axel's car, with not only Axel (who is a pain enough) but Sora, (that's good) and Roxas (that's BAD). Roxas has some problem with me. If he so much as sees me and Sora he's going to flip and probably implode. I can see him turning into a Robot from Robot wars and speeding towards me, fully intending to kill. But, uh, I was watching reruns of Robot Wars last night. I don't know what his problem is, though. He's not jealous...maybe he's just...left out?

"Riku?"

Jerked back into reality again. I have to stop doing that.

"Yeah, Sora?" I said quietly. Though, now that I think about it, Roxas looked a little _preoccupied._ Hah. Axel was leaning into him, and seemed to be asking him all sorts of questions. ALL sorts, looking from Roxas's blush.

"EYES ON THE ROAD!" Both Sora and Roxas screamed at the same time. If I could have spoken, I would have commented on that whole Twin Psyche theory.

But I couldn't speak, because my seatbelt was somehow wrapped around my throat. At what felt like 180 miles an hour, the car curved around a lamppost, making the car swerve onto it's side. The tyres screeched like some angry vulture- I slammed into the car door as Sora slid across the seat, helpless. Blood was pumping in my head and trickling out my jaw as we sped along the narrow road. And then as if someone pressed a pause button, the car suddenly stopped and sat in the middle of the street. Pity no-one inside the car stopped moving, I thought as my head snapped back onto the back of the seat.

"Whiplaaaash..." Axel moaned. _And that's why you shouldn't drive!,_ I thought. I would have given him a lecture, but it looked as if Roxas was going to scream something awful. Instead, I turned my attention elsewhere, to something curled up in my lap. It had spiky brown hair and a small round face. Sora scrunched up his face when I touched his hair. Hah.

"Uuughhh..." he mumbled, sitting up and rubbing his eyes like a five year old. Still on my lap, might I add.

"Eep! Sorry!" he squeaked and jumped off me like a hot potato. I mean, he didn't jump like a potato, because...they can't jump. He jumped as if I was a hot potato, which shows that that really is a stupid phrase.

"I won't hurt hurt you, you know." Sora had a hurt expression, which instantly fired arrows of red hot guilt at me.

"But Roxas..." We both looked to the front seat.

"....is currently slapping Axel in the face with a Destiny High pamphlet. Anyway."

"Hee. That sorta scared me. I've never been driven by Axel before..."

"Hmm. It's an experience you won't forget."

He laughed, but didn't lose the nervous look, and started to bite his nails. That's a bad habit, children. I took his hand out of his mouth for him, and intertwined our fingers.

We were closer than I thought, and I could feel his hot breath on my face. He grinned and closed his eyes. My eyes were closing too, and I could feel myself leaning closer and closer-

"NEVER. EVER. AGAIN. NOW GO, WE'RE ALREADY LATE!" Roxas was red in the face and yelling, ordering a suddenly meek Axel around. The car sped off, and both me and Sora were thrusted back into our seats. Way to ruin the moment...


	4. Denial isn't just a river in Egypt

I cannot apologise enough. I know how you feel, and I promised I wouldn't be one of *those* writers. I wrote this when I was young and stupid, and I thought reading it back now (when I'm old and stupid) I'd hate it. Actually, it makes me giggle. I hope this new bit doesn't let the old bit down.

**Chapter 4**

**Sora PoV**

When you get back to school, after the holidays, you can remember last year. You can remember scraping a few A's, working your ass off till the last minute to get everything done on time, hiding in the drama rooms to avoid teachers trying to scrounge stuff off you. You can remember telling yourself that next year – that's not gonna happen. You'll work so hard at the beginning of the year, it'll all run smoothly!

And yet here I am in maths, counting every second go by in an effort to stay awake. Lets see, a farmer has a field of sheep in a box 12m by 20m. What is the area of the box?

Sheep....counting sheep...301...302...

"Psst. Sora."

303...304...Hey what, that sheep is coming towards me, and-

"Ow, what was that for?!"

"You were falling asleep, bonehead!" Riku grinned at me. "You drool in your sleep, by the way. Anyone ever told you that?"

"No, Riku, people don't tend to watch me sleep. Especially GUYS." His smile fell and his eyes narrowed, sending a pang of guilt my way.

"What's THAT supposed to mean?" The bell interrupted him, thank GOD. I jolted out of my seat as if it were an electric chair. Much like a few others in the class, eager to get out of maths and in the direction of food. I grabbed my messenger bag and swung it round my head.

Sora, why are you running away from this? Oh, shut up subconscious. What do you know.

I nimbly edged round the door and into the corridor, away from the bustling scrum of hungry teenagers behind me. Damn. He saw me.

"Sora." He looked angry. Actually, Riku's barely ever angry. He looked hurt. He brushed his hair away but it swung back into his face. He didn't care. Even though it was covering his eyes I could tell he was looking right at me.

"Sora, I thought you..."

He shook his head, as if was choosing from millions of options how to end that sentence. Thought I was nice? Thought I was gay? Thought we had something that day? Thought I liked him in that way?

I crossed my arms and looked straight up at him. Thinking about it, we were almost as close as that day. But it was nothing like that. I wanted it to end, I wanted it to stop right now. I didn't want to say any of those things, because the answer to each...was yes.

He said, "Sora, you're not who I thought you were." Then he left.

**Roxas PoV**

I'm sitting in the same chair, at the same table, in the same place I was a year ago. I have to ask, has anything changed? Actually, a lot's changed in the past few days. But from a year ago, I don't feel any different. And I hate that. When I was young, I thought I'd be tall. I thought I'd be cool. I thought I'd be happy.

"Do you want to STOP that?" I said as another chip hit the side of my face.

"Not particularly." Axel had a Cheshire cat smile. If it had been anyone else being hit, I would have laughed.

"God, you are the most annoying-". Expecting it, I caught the chip and shoved it in my mouth. He looked impressed. Not that I want his approval or anything. Ugh. No, I just...never mind.

"Why are you even sitting here? Don't you have any other friends?"

"Nope." He shrugged. What is wrong with this guy? Does he not even care? He raised a hand in greeting to someone behind me. "Hey."

It was Riku. Well, it looked like Riku. It had stupid girly silver hair, and weirdly buff arms for someone who sat around playing video games with Sora every day. Muscles, I don't get them. Guys are supposed to be proud of muscles and stuff, but I'm really not. I'd be fine with some guy just being thin.

I mean GIRLS obviously. Which is a given, no-one likes girls with muscles. But girls, yeah. I'm thinking about girls.

"Uhm, Riku are you okay?" Axel asked. He had his feet up on another chair, which Riku promptly lifted up so he could sit down. Yeah, this looked like Riku, but it didn't seem like Riku. "Riku, are you," he leaned in and whispered, "crying?"

What was I talking about before? Has anything changed? Yes it has, this is the weirdest scenario I have been in since...since I found Kairi asleep with a bloody tampon up her nose.

(It was ketchup. But I am still thoroughly disturbed.)

Riku was crying, and Axel was actually being NICE. And thoughtful. Riku wasn't crying crying, obviously. He's too manly for that. In fact I wouldn't have noticed anything going on under that hair if Axel hadn't said. I don't even know what Riku's face looks like any more. But sure enough, he was upset about something.

"Dude, what happened?" Axel asked. "Oh, here's Sora. He'll cheer you up."

And honestly, I don't know what happened, but Riku swore and left out another door. Sora watched him go, looking pained. Sora looking pained, that is. And Riku. But when Sora's upset, you can completely tell. He's like a flower, he withers. His spikes droop and his eyes go all big like a puppy...

"Nothing happened." He said before he even sat down. "Leave me alone."

"Christ." Axel turned to me and we moved away so we were out of earshot. "I've only known that kid a few days but I imagine he NEVER wants to be left alone. What the fuck do you think happened with them?"

"I don't care, as long as they're not being...you know. Close."

"Close? You mean gay?"

"Sora's not gay. I don't know about Riku."

"What, you don't want your brother to be happy?" We were whispering, and I wasn't looking at Axel so I hadn't noticed that he was really close to my face.

"Of course I want him to be happy, as long as he's not-" Axel drew back. The air around me felt cold and the sudden space felt unwelcome. "Axel, why do you care?" He got up.

"Whatever, Roxas." He walked away silently.

"Axel!" When I called he turned around, but he just looked straight through me.

Jeez, it felt like I was burning. Not just with anger, but with questions. Primarily, what the hell just happened? Things went from fairly normal to upside down in the space of two seconds. I bit into a chip angrily. Sora watched me with his big blue eyes as I sat down next to him, stunned into silence.

"Nothing happened." I said. He nodded, and we sat like that for the rest of the hour.

**Roxas.**

Roxas tried everything. Well, almost everything.

Well, he thought about it for a while.

Their 'argument' if you could call it that, happened in a split second he wasn't sure what happened, and Axel's blank stare kept replaying in his mind like a nightmare. He hadn't seen Axel as anything other than manic, which was normal for him. He walked through empty corridors, peering in windows to see classes of bored students resting their chins on their hands. His class had been let out early by bullying the supply teacher. Before she could say 'I shouldn't do this but-' the entire class had gone in a blur. Which one of these is Axel's? He thought to himself.

Axel, Axel, Axel.

When you say Axel, most people think of car parts, or that Axl Rose guy. Roxas didn't. His mind was filled with red hair, whooshing flames, bright green eyes and biro tattoos. He pondered why Axel had suddenly thrown himself into Roxas's life. Axel was twofold – from the outside it looked like he didn't care about anything. He especially didn't care what people thought of him, something Roxas admired but would never admit to. On the inside, Roxas had a feeling that Axel was full of passion. And that seemed like a good thing.

Roxas stopped outside a certain classroom. He sighed. This year was supposed to be a doss. It was supposed to be fun, and joky, and sitting around on the grass with friends. And damnit, there were supposed to be girls!

Roxas said this, but couldn't help remembering he didn't like girls. They were shrill and demanding, and annoying, frankly.

The bell rang, and a switch flicked in Roxas's brain. He jerked into action and as the door opened, grabbed the wrist off the first person that came out.

"Hayner!"

"Dude, Roxas, what the hell?" Roxas pulled a confused Hayner aside.

"Hayner, you have to help me." Hayner looked blank. Then again, he was Hayner, so that was fairly normal.

"Sure, what do you want me to do?" Hayner was so naive. Roxas felt flattered that Hayner was so willing to do him a favour. They weren't even that good friends, they had just spent a few summers together at blitzball camp.

"Yes, what DO you want him to do?" Both Roxas and Hayner jumped. It was Seifer. Roxas fought his natural instinct (which was Seifer = RUN, GODAMNIT, RUN) because Hayner and Seifer were...

Roxas wasn't actually sure. They used to be best friends when they were kids, then during a struggle match something happened and they wouldn't talk. Seifer became self-proclaimed head of what their year called 'The Itty-bitty Disciplinary Committee' and began bullying people. Something must have happened over the summer break, because they seemed like...friends.

"Chill, Seif. It's only Roxas. He just wants me to...wait, what was it?" Seifer and Roxas both rolled their eyes and shared a shy glance.

"Whatever. See you later, chickenwuss." Seifer whispered something in Hayners ear. Whatever it was put an uncontrollable smile on Hayners face. His eyes went bright and smiled all on their own, twinkling with laughter. This gave Roxas what could only be described as 'mixed feelings'. He felt like a third wheel all over again – like they were sharing something Roxas felt he might never get to experience. But he shoved it all down to a dark dark place in the pit of his stomach. A few butterflies of despair flitted about weakly.

"Hayner. Hayner. Wake up." Hayner shook his head and looked back to see Seifer wave from the end of the hall. "Tell Riku to meet you at the blitzball court in an hour. Please."  
"You mean tell him to meet YOU." Roxas tried not to sigh.

"No, to meet YOU."

"But...but..."

"Hayner, it's quite simple. You don't have to go anywhere. You just tell him to meet you there, and then I go. Otherwise he wouldn't come. Get it?"  
"....Oh! I see." Hayner nodded vigorously and Roxas could still tell he had no clue.

"Just do it, alright? I have to be somewhere." True enough, he did have somewhere to be. He had to sort out Axel first.

**Axel**

Axel lay on a bench like a sad, sad tramp. He had his head at one end and his knees up. One hand dangled, flicking a lighter on and off. The other was covering his eyes. He could have been asleep, but he wasn't. He was thinking.

The sky above had been blue half an hour ago, but was now a purple grey. Barred clouds formed across the horizon like a prison. School had ended, but he didn't want to go home.

Home. Really, Axel desperately wanted to go home. He wanted to belong – like he belonged in his crazy group of friends before they all split up. They were...an unusual bunch; they only got together two or three times a year. He was pretty close to Demyx, even though they weren't alike. When they were ten, they would plan crazy adventures – be pirates and kings and explorers. Demyx would follow Axel, bright-eyed as he led him through magical lands that, as they got older, slowly faded away until they were lost forever. Demyx was with Zexion. Axel got along with Zexion, but found him a bit too much at times. If Axel ever had a problem, he could talk to Zexion about it. Zexion was a listener. It was why he fit so well with Demyx, Demyx was a talker. And Zexion wasn't afraid to tell him to shut up when necessary.

There were many more of them like that, and Axel missed them. He wanted to be home, but his house wasn't home. He preferred being outside anyway, especially in summer. Summer was comfortable. In summer you could spend all night outside, without being cold, being with your friends talking and talking. Axel would spend them with a girlfriend, if he had one. Axel didn't have a girlfriend, and he didn't want one. Axel knew what he wanted.

And recently Axel knew who he wanted.

And conveniently, who he wanted sat down on the bench beside him. Roxas thunked down, looking defeated. Axel moved his hand from his face and looked at him. He looked very small. He was staring at the ground, as if deciding what to say. His face already said 'sorry' without making a sound. Axel didn't like to see Roxas upset – and Roxas seemed upset quite a lot. But this was different to him being irritated, which is just fun. Axel sat up till he was cross legged on the bench. It was evening now, dusk. The sun was so low in the sky it was a smoky grey in the air, and the edges of the grass and the bench were illuminated and golden. After minutes of silence, Roxas stopped looking at the ground and looked at Axel. He had his mouth open, about to speak, but didn't. They swayed, breathing deeply. Axel held Roxas' hand and stood up.

"I wanna take you somewhere."

Roxas stood up without a word and followed him.


End file.
